There are a lot of steps involved when moving your crop from your field to the end consumer. While there have been great strides in technology and new products introduced, the belt conveyor remains one of the staples of the agriculture industry. Belt conveyors have helped farmers get their crops to market for centuries now. While the first belt conveyors were made of leather and wood, new technology has allowed belt conveyors of today to change with evolving demands.
Plenty of farmers use belt conveyors to help ease work all year long. This vital tool not only helps get seed to the field but also helps transport crops into and out of grain bins during harvest time. Investing in a high-quality belt conveyor is a great way to save time and reduce the amount of work it takes to get a crop to market. Learn more about these key advantages of belt conveyors that can help your farm in the upcoming year.
Belt Conveyors Move Different Types of Crops
Growing a diverse crop is essential for many farmers across the country. Planting a variety of different crops helps not only protect the farmer but also can help increase soil conditions. Belt conveyors are known for their ability to transport multiple kinds of different crops in a safe manner.
Crops of every size can be successfully moved with belt conveyors. The use of a single large belt helps the system move material from fine powder to large pieces. This allows farmers to use one piece of machinery across all of their different crops. Very fine products, such as wheat and popcorn, are safely transported with the same belt that moves larger crops like soybeans and seed corn. The addition of side guards helps keep smaller items on the belt and reduces waste by collecting any item that may fall off the belt during transport. Belt conveyors are useful in the variety of crops that they can move.
Belt Conveyors Come in a Variety of Sizes
While conveyors were often used on ports to unload and load cargo ships, they have been adapted to a wide range of uses today. Even the smallest farm can utilize the benefits of belt conveyors to help move crops in a timely fashion. Belt conveyors are easy to customize to fit your farming operation no matter the size.
Plenty of small farmers have belt conveyors that help transport crops to and from the farm. Specialty crop farmers also use belt conveyors to get their unique product to the market. Larger operations utilize massive belt conveyor systems, or multiple belt conveyors put together, to move a large amount of volume in a short period of time.
Belt Conveyors Move in Multiple Directions
One of the key benefits of using a belt conveyor on the farm is the multiple directions you can move a crop using just one system. Belt conveyors are known for their ability to transport heavy loads of materials horizontally, but they also can be used to move crops at an incline and decline. One system can consist of different angled belts that can easily move crops in multiple directions. Add in cleats to the conveyor to help move the product efficiently at a steeper angle.
This key advantage allows farmers to use one belt conveyor system to move crops in multiple directions. The ability to configure a conveyor belt in various directions saves a ton of time on the farm. Transporting crops from a truck to a grain bin, no matter the terrain, is easy with a belt conveyor system.
Belt Conveyors Are Easy to Use
As one of the simplest ways to transport a crop, belt conveyors are often the choice of specialty and smaller farms. The belt and rotors are easy to operate and work on if they ever have an issue. On site training is often included with a belt conveyor purchase and plenty of manufacturers offer easy access to support.
Preventative maintenance is easy to learn if you want to take it on yourself, or manufacturers also partner with local dealers who can help if something isn’t working quite right. With less moving parts than other transport systems, belt conveyors are often the first choice of farmers who want an easy-to-use system without a ton of bells and whistles.
Belt Conveyors Are Gentle on Crops
Another key advantage of belt conveyors is the ease of handling that the system has on the overall crop. Fragile crops that require a soft hand are great to use with belt conveyors. Instead of being pulled out of a bin or tossed around, crops don’t move very much once on the belt conveyor itself. While some products may run off the belt during transport, there aren’t a ton of transitions that the crops must endure to get from Point A to Point B. Additional side guards and flapper guards offer maximum security that is also gentle on the product.
This is especially true in the case of specialty seeds that require a bit more finesse when moving around the farm. Belt conveyors offer a gentle ride for seeds with little risk of seed damage. Keeping the seeds in pristine condition from the farm is vital to many specialty crop farmers who rely on a high-quality product from start to finish.
Belt Conveyors Increase Productivity
While many farmers work from sunup to sun down (and beyond), there is always merit in finding new and improved ways to save time. Belt conveyors increase the efficiency and productivity of a farm in the amount of crops they can move as compared to using a bulldozer or tractor.
A farm’s productivity increases when a belt conveyor is used. The speed at which the crops move from station to station dramatically cuts down on time needed to transport the crops in a different fashion.
With less staff members needed to move crops around, farmers spend less money on employee wages and overall cost. There is also a minimal amount of wasted crops as belt conveyors have built-in. This time savings allows farmers and staff to work on other areas of the farm, which increases the overall productivity.
Belt Conveyors Require Less Energy to Operate
As compared to other types of material movers, belt conveyors require much less overall energy to move the same amount of material. This is a key advantage as farmers spend a ton of money on energy every year. Energy costs and energy efficiency are a common aspect of running a successful farm and can easily make or break a business.
The cost to operate a belt conveyor is less than other options, thanks to the overall way that the crops stay on the belt. With no need for vibration or air power, belt conveyors allow crops to remain static on top of the belt with little needed movement. This simple feature of the belt conveyor is a key advantage of saving energy on the farm overall.
Belt Conveyors Help Reduce Injury Risk
The ease and simplicity of a belt conveyor requires less moving parts that are accessible. This means that the only moving part of the system that poses a threat is the belt itself. Everything that is powered is within the belt system itself.
While there is always a risk of misuse or an accident with any kind of machine, belt conveyors can help reduce the risk of injury to staff. By using this machine to ease the workload, employees are less likely to have a physical injury that could happen when moving the material by hand. Add in the amount of weight that a belt conveyor can handle, and it is an easy choice when factoring in the risk of bodily injury and accidents on the farm.
Investing in a belt conveyor for the farm is one of the best choices that a farmer can make. Not only do belt conveyors offer ease of use with maximum efficiency, but they also provide many benefits in increasing productivity on the farm. Specialty farmers who rely on careful care for their seeds and crops often choose belt conveyors to ensure that their farms run at high-quality capacity from start to finish.
When it comes to choosing machinery to add to the farm, a belt conveyor is just one of the tools that can help increase productivity. The IGSE VeyWay Grain Bin Conveyor System is a perfect addition to use in tandem with a belt conveyor. Designed especially for specialty crops, the VeyWay helps increase productivity using gentle systems for delicate seeds and products..
For more information on how the IGSE VeyWay can help your farm become even more efficient, contact our office today!